The fact-checking wing of the Public Information Bureau (PIB), the centre’s node agency, has issued clarification in relation to a message claiming the central government is offering a free £239 mobile top-up valid for 28 days all user. According to the office, the message was spread via WhatsApp. The message claimed that a user can get a free top-up by clicking on the “blue link”.
In a tweet, the office said: “A WhatsApp message claims that the central government is offering all users a £239 top-up for 28 days under the ‘Free Mobile Recharge Scheme’.” The PIB fact-check team added: ” This claim is false. No such announcement was made by the Government of India.”
The bureau also shared an image of the “fake” message. It read: “As part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s free mobile top-up scheme, all Indian users have been promised £239 free top-up for 28 days, so top-up your number now by clicking the blue link below. I did my 28 days free top up with it. You can also top up for 28 days for free by clicking on the link given below (last date March 30, 2023)”.
The fact check wing added: “The Indian government does not offer free charging.”
#FraudAlert
A #WhatsApp message claims that the central government is offering all users a ₹239 top-up for 28 days under the “Free Mobile Recharge Scheme” #PIBFactCheck:
✔️This claim is #fake
✔️The Government of India made no such announcement pic.twitter.com/AICm63ga8W
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 26, 2023
Earlier, the bureau issued an alert related to a message alleging that the State Bank of India “requires recipients to update their PAN via a link to prevent their account from expiring.”
The bureau shared a picture of the message and wrote, “A #fake message on behalf of @TheOfficialSBI is asking recipients to update their PAN on a suspicious link to prevent their account from expiring.”
The fact-checking team urged all SBI customers, adding: “Beware of such scams. SBI never sends emails/SMS asking for personal/bank details.”
A #Fake message on behalf of @TheOfficialSBI asks recipients to update their PAN on a suspicious link to prevent their account from expiring.#PIBFactCheck
✅ Beware of such scams.
✅ SBI never sends emails/SMS asking for personal/banking information. pic.twitter.com/1u8tFywQcf
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 24, 2023
For those unaware, the last date a Permanent Account Number (PAN) can be linked to Aadhaar is March 31, 2023. According to the Income Tax Department, failure to comply will result in the unlinked PAN becoming inoperative.
